Author Topic: Need Help Quick – Questions about Monitors (Read 199 times)

Zippatuh · « **on:** December 13, 2001, 01:08:00 PM »

Long story short, my monitor is an oversized paperweight right now and I need another one. I have done some quick research that has presented some questions.

1) If I have a monitor with a refresh rate at 88Hz for 1024X768 running on desktop but I run AH at 1280X1024, will the refresh rate still be 88Hz or will it drop to the monitor rating of 80Hz?

2) Does the resolution that is run on the desktop make any difference to the resolution run in AH at all?

3) I keep seeing the magic number of 85Hz. Is there that big difference between monitors on the same resolution but having a refresh rate either being 85 or 80?

I have found a ViewSonic A90 19” that has been rated very good in control and clarity and is priced rather nicely. I’m leaning on this at the moment. Any information you all can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Zippatuh

K West · « **Reply #1 on:** December 13, 2001, 01:38:00 PM »

IMO if I had to buy a monitor tody I'd consider these three hings first.

1. The warranty and the ability to get the warranty honored should it fail. This also goes hand in hand with my opinion that better names have better usable[/b] warranties. Sony is still around. SMILE isn't. Smile had a longer warranty that right now is useless to me.

2. dpi(?) the smaller the number the better it looks. I have a 19" monitor with .28 and it looks much worse than one with .24 or .25.

3. refesh rates. The more with higher HZ tolerance the better. It may look impressive if the manual and sale literture says it has the baility for a resolution of of 2048X2048 64bit color but the small print say only at 30hz refresh rate then high resolutions claims like that are worthless

Westy

mrsid2 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2001, 01:41:00 PM »

85hz is just generally pleasing to the eye and higher refresh may cause cheap monitors to become more fuzzy.

The most important factor when choosing your screen is image quality. Do not buy your monitor without seeing the INDIVIDUAL monitor youre going to get. There are huge differences in same brand screens due to manufacturing tolerances.

Most 19" screens will do 120hz at 1024x768 so refresh rate shouldn't be a problem for you. Unless you're going to get some cheap/old hardware.

Just remember: a same type/brand monitor may look sharp and vibrant in the shop, yet you get a blurry and pale screen at home.. When you buy it, find the individual you like and demand to take it home.

Zippatuh · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2001, 02:34:00 PM »

Does different color depth, 16 or 32, make a difference for the refresh rate at the same resolution?

If it says 80Hz at 1280, the refresh rate can change depending on the color depth?

BTW, thanks for the help so far.

Zippatuh

K West · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2001, 02:49:00 PM »

Here's some good info:
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,65159,00.asp
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,68783,00.asp

and a neat test page for anyone interested in a tool to adjust thier monitor now.
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/monitorsbig/test/_open.htm

Westy

Eagler · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2001, 03:00:00 PM »

19" trinitron flat screen

Zippatuh · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2001, 09:24:00 AM »

Thanks for the link Westy. I ended up with the Samsung 950.

When I got it home and plugged it in I thought something was wrong. It didn’t look the same as it did in the store. I did some calibrations and wow. It’s amazing what a screen will look like when it’s operating correctly. My wife looked over my shoulder at the wallpaper we had up and said, “I didn’t know there were things in the background”. I just about lost it.

Should be test-driving it in AH tonight sometime. C’ya up!

Zippatuh